Re: To: Rhonda - Hand curling....Lin

[Guest guest]

Lin,

The doctor and I decided that Exelon is most likely not helping my dad's

congnition. We are keeping him on the Namenda, but are weaning him off the Ex.

Today, his index fingers on both hands were straight. I haven't seen his fingers

open like that in over a year. We started giving him 1/2 dose Ex. on Friday,

then will discontinue it completely in two weeks. I don't know if it's the Ex.

that has already loosend his hands up a bit or not, but hopefully it will

continue and maybe his fingers will all open up!!

His pressure sores are all cleared up...the nurse is continuing to come each day

to check on them. For two weeks, he needed to be repostioned every two hours in

his bed, but now he is able to sit out in the living room with the 4 other

residents. I'm so grateful for these small miracles!

He is in Phase 5. He needs assistance with all needs.

Rhonda

> > > >

> > > > Wow! I am so glad Don is not using the Execelon patch. He couldn't�

handle

> > > > it, but I'm glad now that he has been taken off it early on. I had no�

idea

> > > > it causes hand curling. I see a lot of hand curling in Don's� NH.

> > > >�

> > > > Love with a� smile,

> > > > Imogene

> > > >

> > > > Caregiver for my True Texas Gentleman Husband.� Diagnosed with AD in

2005.

> > > > And then, with LBD 2006.

> > > > A happy personality is� contagious. Infect someone today.

> > > > Yours Truly

> > > >

> > > >

> > > > In a message dated 6/6/2009 10:44:46 A.M. Central Daylight Time,�

> > > > lprattbethany@ writes:

> > > >

> > > > Dear� June,

> > > >

> > > > Thanks for your patience with me. Your descriptions are� fine - you

know

> > > > I'm just so curious and when I check with the PharmD and docs� here

for info,

> > > > they ask a million questions.� Both the PharmD and� our neuro-psych

were

> > > > scheduled for 7AM rounds, so since� I'm at the facility too, I just

called them

> > > > again about Joyce's meds� and etc. Their comments and a couple of

my� own:

> > > >

> > > > O� AT HOME IN BODY AND MIND :���People with dementia often think

and speak

> > > > literally. My mom talks about� places like Joyce does. Her room at the

> > > > center is now " home " and after a meal� together, she'll say " do you

want to come

> > > > on home with me? " � She� sometimes ask if she still has a house

(which is in

> > > > another town), but never� refers to it as her home. When my mom talks

about

> > > > my coming to visit, she� always says that people want to see me and I

should

> > > > " come over to our� house. " When I ask directly, she knows I'm her

daughter

> > > > and that we are� not in our hometown, but her brain just processes in

a more

> > > > basic way than� before. Sometimes staff and other residents ask her

how her

> > > >� daughter is doing or where her daughter is, so she thinks they

want� to

> > > > see me. It sounds as if Joyce has settled in comfortably enough at WW

to� feel

> > > > " at home, " which is a blessing. And like always, she wants you there

with�

> > > > her and is so happy in your company she likes to show

> > > > you off. Isn't� it great she has made friends and is happy!

> > > >

> > > >

> > > > O� � Lasix:� Glad to hear the edema is decreasing. As per some�

recent

> > > > posts, swelling can occur in our LOs on occasion for no apparent�

reason. It's

> > > > desirable to get clear medical evidence of the need for a� med as

strong as

> > > > this with so many side effects for the elderly. You may want� to

monitor the

> > > > dosage levels and ensure it's discontinued ASAP. The PharmD� repeats

his

> > > > professional concerns and echoes the suggestions made,� too.

Elevation,

> > > > exercise and specific PT for edema may well be sufficient� to keep it

in

> > > > check.

> > > >

> > > > O� � Exelon:���PharmD and MD both wonder if you would want

to� talk with

> > > > Joyce's doc about switching to Razadyne or trying Aricept again.�

Reason:�

> > > > Exelon is known to cause hand-curling, which is sometimes�

irreversible. We see

> > > > it in about half our residents on Ex, and it� happened to my mom in

the

> > > > first six weeks she was on it. I was� enraged her doc at the time

hadn't told

> > > > me about this. It� makes using the hands and fingers quite difficult,

and we

> > > > want our� LOs to be able to do as much as possible for themselves.

It's

> > > > certainly� possible Joyce might not be able to tolerate Aricept;

however, if she

> > > > was� taking it while on one or another of those bad meds, it would be

hard

> > > > to� judge. Razadyne is safely used for many LBDers when they can't

tolerate�

> > > > Aricept or when Ex should be avoided. My mom has been on it 6� years.

A

> > > > reminder from the neuro-psych here that folks should be weaned� off

one of

> > > > these meds before the next one is started. Those at� this

> > > > end are pretty sure the hand curling is meds-induced, not the�

disease.

> > > >

> > > > June, your love and caring for� Joyce is inspiring. Please keep us

posted.

> > > >

> > > > Love,� Lin

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > > **************A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2

easy

> > > > steps!

> > > >

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